She laughed, sounding almost embarrassed. "Not to say I plan on hanging out here forever. I mean, I know you've got other things going on." Abruptly, she stood. "You know, thinking about it, I really need to get going. I've got to work in just a couple hours."
I kept my seat. I wasn't going anywhere. And if I had my way, neither was she. "That's it," I said. "Friday night it is."
"What about Friday night?"
"I'm taking you out." I reached up and pulled her back down, causing the water splash around us. I wrapped my arms around her and spoke into her ear. "You're getting stir-crazy. I can tell."
"I am not."
"Uh-huh," I said. "You still have this Friday off?"
She nodded.
"Good," I said. "Seven o'clock. I'm gonna pick you up, just like a real date."
She grinned over at me. "Yeah?" And then, almost as an afterthought, she added, "Do you know, Saturday's my birthday?"
"It is?" Why hadn't I known that? Ishouldhave known that. "No kidding?"
"No kidding."
Perfect. I held her tighter. "Then let's make it Saturday instead. We'll celebrate in style."
She gave a wistful sigh. "I wish I could. But I'm scheduled to work."
"So, blow it off," I said.
As usual, she declined. So, Friday it was.
As for me, I had some shopping to do.
Chapter 45
I was sitting in my study when I heard Bishop, from somewhere near the doorway, say, "What's that?"
Sitting at my desk, I snapped shut the small velvet box. "Nothing you wanna see."
His voice grew wary. "Why not?"
"Forget it." I shoved the box into my top drawer and pushed it shut. I looked back to Bishop and stated the obvious. "You're early."
It was Friday afternoon. He wasn't supposed to be here until tomorrow.
"Yeah," he said. "Complications. We've got to move tonight."
I shook my head. "No."
"No?" His eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I have plans."
"What kind?" He walked toward me stopped at the side of my desk. He reached down and picked up the sales slip that I'd neglected to put away. He studied the thing.
Damn it.
He looked up. "Is this yours?"
The questionhadto be rhetorical. The paperwork did, after all, have my name on it. But that was none of his business. I gave a casual shrug. "I told you to forget it."
